Telescoping, adjustable supports



April 30, 1957 S. H. WILDER TELESCOPING, ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTS Filed Sept. 16, 1953 I 'IlI,Il,I

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Iller INVENTOR SEILDEN H. WILDER BY.-

ATTORNEY United Seres,

TELESCOPING, ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTS Selden H. Wilder, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application September 16, 1953, Serial No. 380,531

3 Claims. (Cl. 287-58) This invention refers especially to walking canes and clothesline poles. It is a tubular support in some cases covered with plastic, enamel or other suitable finish. This invention utilizes a metal band within the support and a tapered plug, which makes it easier to release the locking ball when the sections are to be telescoped together and especially so when the sections are pulled fully open.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, central sectional view of my invention showing the locking mechanism in released position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, central sectional view of my invention showing the locking mechanism in engaged position.

Referring to Fig. l, the support has an inner tubular member 1 and an outer tubular member 10, telescopically associated. At the inner end of the inner member 1, a plug 4 is provided. The top 5 of the tapered plug 4 is shown as conical, but it may' be of any other suitable tapered shape. The tapered plug 4 below the top 5 is reduced in diameter creating a shank portion which is put through the metal band 6 and is secured in the top end of the lower section 1 by inserting it therein. The tapered end 5 of the plug 4v slides easily within the metal band 6.

The collar or metal band 6 surrounds the head or top 5 of the plug 4. The lower end of the metal band 6 has a flange or stop shoulder 7 on one end, through which the shank portion of `the plug 4 slides easily down and up between the large end or stop shoulder 8 of the head portion of the plug 4 and the top end 9 of the lower section 1 when the inner and outer members are fully extended. The metal band 6 snugly but slidably engages the inside wall of the tube 10.

The end 13 of the outer member 10 through which the inner member is received is of reduced diameter, creating a shoulder 14. The outer diameter of the metal band 6 is greater than the inner diameter of the shoulder 14.

When the sections are pulled fully open the metal band 6 stops at the shoulder 14 of the tube 10, and the tapered end 5 of the plug 4 is pulled into the metal band 6. The collar or metal band 6 then prevents the ball 15 from wedging between the inside wall of the upper section 10 and the tapered plug 4, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 2 shows the inner member 1 pushed in slightly, so that the tapered end 5 of the plug 4 is out of the metal band 6 and the ball 15 wedged between the plug 4 and the inside wall of the upper section or outer member 10.

To dislodge the ball from the wedging position shown in Fig. 2, it is only necessary to pull the inner and outer members further apart. This causes the shoulder 13 to move the collar 6 over the head portion 5. The end of the collar 6 forcibly dislodges the ball. With the structure so held that the ball travels by gravity to the oppo- 2,790,657 *Patented* Apr. 30, 1957 Y to minimize injury to the finish 16 of the lower section 1.

site end of the outer member 10, the inner and outer l The same result is produced by the shoulder 14.

With both ends of the reduced end portion of the outer member 10 flared gradually outward my invention makes it possible to produce successful telescoping canes with a finish in colors, and successful telescoping white canes for the blind, which I believe have never before been successfully produced.

Minor modifications of my invention may be made, each without departing from the principle of my invention.

Each of these modifications is to be considered as included in the hereinafter appended claims unless the language of these claims expressly provides otherwise.

I claim:

l. In a self-locking telescoping support the combination comprising: an outer tubular member; an inner member telescopically received into said outer member; an end piece afiixed to said inner member; said end piece having a head portion and a shank portion, said shank portion being of reduced diameter; said head portion being frusto-conical in shape, the sides thereof converging away from said shank portion and said inner member; a collar having substantially the same length as said frustoconical head portion surrounding said head and axially slidable with respect to said end piece; said collar having an inwardly directed ange at one end seated about said shank portion; said outer member having a shoulder therein adjacent the end of said outer member wherein said inner member is received, said shoulder being adapted to limit travel of said collar; a ball in said outer member adapted to wedge by gravity between said head portion and said outer member; said shoulder in said outer member being adapted to contact said collar and urge said collar to telescope over said head portion for holding said ball out of wedging position.

2. In a self-locking telescoping support the combination comprising: an outer tubular member; an inner member telescopically received into said outer member; an end piece aixed to said inner member; said end piece having a head portion and a shank portion, said shank portion being of reduced diameter; said head portion being frusto-conical in shape, the sides thereof converging away from said shank portion and said inner member; a collar having substantially the same length as said frustoconical head portion surrounding said head piece and slidable axially thereof; means on one end of said collar adapted to engage the end of said head portion adjacent said shank; said outer member having a shoulder therein adjacent the end of said outer member wherein said inner member is received, said shoulder being adapted to limit travel of said collar; a ball in said outer member adapted to wedge by gravity between said head portion and said outer member; said shoulder in said outer member being adapted to contact said collar and urge said collar to telescope over said head portion for holding said ball out of wedging position by one end of said collar.

3. In a self-locking telescoping support the combination comprising: an outer tubular member; an inner member telescopically received into said outer member; an end piece aixed to said inner member; said end piece having a head portion and a shank portion, said shank portion being of reduced diameter, said head portion being frusto-conical in shape, the sides thereof converging away from said shank portion and said inner member; said head portion being spaced from the end of said inner member; a collar having substantially the samelength as said frusto-conicalhd Vportion surrounding said head piece `andslidablc:4 axially' thereofy'means 'oir'onehend` of said collar adapted to engage the end of said head portion adjacent said shank; a ball in saidouter member adapted to' wedge by Agravity Between said"hed pr'tinadsid outer member; means' on said outer memberiorlengaging said collar and urging said cliar teiescopiclly about said head portionvi/hereby said baliV is heid out of Waldging position by one endof said co11ar.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED -STTES V"PATES FOREIGN 'PATENTS Germany Dec. 10,' 

